Table 1 Structural characteristics of the four forests studied, and main soil physicochemical properties in subtropical China

Mean tree height (m)

9.00

17.4

Mean DBH (cm)

13.9

22.1

14.3

Stem density (no.·ha⁻¹)

1500

1080

2100

1890

Mean soil water content (%)

22.9

33.7

23.8

33.4

Soil total N (g·kg⁻¹)

1.70

1.61

1.48

1.70

Soil total P (g·kg⁻¹)

0.23

0.26

0.24

0.27

Mineral N (mg·kg⁻¹)

9.39

14.52

8.13

10.89

Available P (mg·kg⁻¹)

1.07

1.17

1.14

1.35

Bulk density (g·cm⁻³)

1.18

1.23

1.25

1.08

pH (H₂O)

4.43

4.32

4.30

4.38

Sand (%)

6.9

11.4

12.2

11.2

Clay (%)

43.5

47.6

43.6

38.2

Silt (%)

49.6

41.0

44.2

50.6